The goldenrain tree in my backyard is blooming and I had no clue that its presence is thanks to seeds from Thomas Jefferson. A French Jesuist priest visited China in the 18th century and brought the seeds back to Paris. From there a French friend of Thomas Jefferson gave him seedlings that naturalized in Monticello. The tree has boughs of small yellow flowers that look like orchids that turn into seed pods that resemble Chinese lanterns.